cp_damn (Big screenshots!)

Hi everyone, this is my first post at tf2maps.net. I'm a fairly experienced source mapper, but this is my first tf2 map.

There are a total of 4 control points. Each team has a "home" cp inside the dam, and there are two middle ones: one in the turbine room, and one on top of the dam. A team must control both middle points before capturing the other team's home point.

Here is an overview of the top. You can see one of the control points in the middle, and tunnels up from spawns on the sides. In the middle, behind the control point, is an elevator up from the turbine room.

The blue spawn room. The large door on the left leads down into the dam, the doorway to the right leads up to the top.

The area directly outside blue's spawn room. Red's room has different props, but the brushwork is mirrored. Straight ahead is the turbine room, to the right is blue's control point.

Blue's "home" control point.

The turbine room, with one of the middle control points. You can see the elevator shaft that goes up to the top. There are also holes above the catwalk that players can use to drop in from the top.

Is "dam" intentionally misspelled?
Screenshots look pretty good so far!

However, I think you're doing too much with props instead of brushwork, especially in shot 4. Also, the props on the dam's top look very out of place. Water heater on top of a dam? Instead of throwing props on there I would rethink what might be atop a dam and why.

Anyway, great start, and welcome to the forums! Be sure to join the steam group and chat room for constant conversation about mapping.

I have to agree with mangy unfortunatly, whilst the dam itself looks good it definatly is suffering from a lack of identity, ask your self "what do you get around dams?" and if the prop fits that then add it, if not, prune it out and use another or some brushwork.]

The brushwork itself is a little lacking, your rooms are looking a little boxy.

I haven't tried anything like this before so I'm not sure it would work... but have you thought about using the 3d skybox model for the actual dam? Like having all the brush work over 3d sky, and then having the model underneath? It would probably look a lot better if you did that. Right now the brick texture is out of place.

Except it's a skybox model... not sure about the logistics of that and if it would work or not... worth a try, but it kinda confines the shape and size of your dam, and I'm pretty sure it's a lot smaller than the one you have built.

I actually started work on a brush based dam a while ago. It got really complicated because it's curving both horizontally, like a regular dam, but it also curves vertically, climaxing in the center of the dam, so I had to take all my brushes and cut them in half so they were all triangles and weren't messed up brushes... took friggin forever..

I actually started work on a brush based dam a while ago. It got really complicated because it's curving both horizontally, like a regular dam, but it also curves vertically, climaxing in the center of the dam, so I had to take all my brushes and cut them in half so they were all triangles and weren't messed up brushes... took friggin forever..

here ya go bud, thought you could use some reference images: click!
i'd also like to say maybe make the "computer" room taller if possible a couple weapons need that open space to get to the other side of the room, example: syringe gun - the cp in that screenshot also looks distorted i can tell you have the blue team logo pushed into the ground.

Except it's a skybox model... not sure about the logistics of that and if it would work or not... worth a try, but it kinda confines the shape and size of your dam, and I'm pretty sure it's a lot smaller than the one you have built.

I actually started work on a brush based dam a while ago. It got really complicated because it's curving both horizontally, like a regular dam, but it also curves vertically, climaxing in the center of the dam, so I had to take all my brushes and cut them in half so they were all triangles and weren't messed up brushes... took friggin forever..

Click to expand...

Actually the skybox model I'd wager is bigger than what he has there. Also I'm not sure exactly how it would work... but I think in theory it could actually work, and work well... it would just be tricky to pull off and would take some time to make look right.

I agree, I sort of went crazy with the props. Any ideas for brushwork to use instead?

Youme: My rooms are pretty boxy, I think I'll make some rounded/bezel edges. Some areas are pretty dark, but they played O.K. as far as I could tell.

Tenacious: Thanks for the reference, I spent a lot of time online looking at pictures of dams. I sort of modeled mine after the Hoover Dam. The ceiling in picture #5 is fairly low, and you're right, I did scoot the control point icon down to fit it.

Scoobings: Yeah, I considered using that model. It could be cool, but tough to pull off. And I'm lazy :laugh:

Hopefully I'll have time in the next week or so to work on damn some more. I'll keep you updated.

I was going to make a dam map, but at the rate im going ill never get it going =)

This is what "I" was using as a reference.

This was mapped in hammer as well.

Constructive Criticism is the most useful. If I tear apart your work it's not because I don't like it, it's because I do. If a user's Comment or Post is useful to you, Make sure to give them "Thanks!".

ya i wanted to make exactly that picture. i thought it would be a cool epic battle towards the middle =)

Constructive Criticism is the most useful. If I tear apart your work it's not because I don't like it, it's because I do. If a user's Comment or Post is useful to you, Make sure to give them "Thanks!".